The Rebirth of the Shattered Queen

Nightmares

(Aksana)

It’s been a month since I’ve been at the Royal Pack and to be honest, I feel at ease, like I'm home. I love waking up every morning to train with the pack. I have also volunteered to help train the young pups and I love it. I call my parents and Alex every day to tell them how I’m doing. Mom is having a harder time and wants to switch packs. Dad wants to as well, but he doesn’t want to leave Alex alone since he just started his duties as Beta. For some reason, I feel like there is something going on that they don't want me to know about. So I told mom that she could come visit, but that Alex needed her right now. Alex was more than willing to switch packs as well, but I reminded him how hard he worked to become Beta and his answer was that it was before he found out how his once best friend f****d up.

It doesn’t bother me when he brings Cory up anymore, but it still hurts knowing that, because of him, my pup died. Anyway, my parents are happy knowing that I don’t have to hide my wolf and that even though I was looked at differently when everyone saw my wolf, they love her. We still don’t know anything about my wolf, but my parents and Alex are hopeful that the former king and queen and the Elders can find something. I caught Layana’s scent before she knocked on my door. I have been able to do that more and more. I can tell which pack member is where before I get to where I’m going or if I’m looking for someone, I can sometimes pinpoint where they are.

“Come in” I called after Layana knocked, making me look up from my drawing.

“Hey girl. What have you been up to today?” she asked, plopping down on my bed.

“Nothing much. You missed training today” I said.

“Yes, I had to get a few things settled at the dorm. I have a new roommate… a transfer” she grumbled. She’s going to law school and only came back for spring break.

“Is it a wolf?” I asked.

“No, human” she said, not looking happy.

“The good thing is that you can control your wolf and there are woods not far from your college if you want to shift”, I told her and she nodded.

“That’s one of the reasons why I chose it. Not to mention why mom, dad, and my brother agreed on the college, not to mention I have the largest room” she said, and I nodded.

“So, for why I came here? I brought you some stuff because we’re going out”, she said.

“I don’t know” I said, putting my drawing book down.

“Oh come on. It’s my last night here until summer. Pleeeaassseee” she begged.

“Fine. Where are we going?” I asked. She squealed, jumped off my bed, then dropped a bag on my bed. I looked at her with an arched eyebrow.

“We’re going to the club. A few pack members will go as well. Plus, we’re also celebrating you becoming a warrior”, Layana said.

“Beta Jared said I was part of the warriors, but the King hasn’t agreed” I said.

“My brother agreed, plus tomorrow he will swear you in as a pack member” Layana assured me, but my wolf has been on edge all day since we sensed the presence of the King today. I haven't seen him yet though.

“Okay, when are we leaving?” I asked her.

“Oh, we’re going to get ready together. Now go ahead and get showered” she said, gently pushing me towards the shower. I sighed, turning on the shower and began to get undressed. I jumped in the shower, washed my hair, washed my body, shaved, and washed my body again. I got out of the shower and towel dried myself, but as I dried my tummy my eyes lingered on it and couldn’t help imagine how I would have looked with my pup growing inside me. My wolf whimpered, and I quickly shook the thought away. I wrapped the towel around me and walked out to my room. Elena was there doing her daughter’s hair.

“Hello Elena” I greet.

“Hello Aksana” Elena smiled before looking at my bed.

“I didn’t know you knew how to draw”, Elena said, gesturing to my drawing book.

“I do it just for fun” I said with a shrug.

“It’s beautiful” she said, looking at it. It was just a drawing of my view from the balcony.

“The details are amazing,” she said.

“It’s just what I see out of the balcony”, I voiced my earlier thoughts. Elena stops doing Layana’s hair and walks to the balcony and looks out, then at the drawing.

“You see the beauty in what’s in front of you. I like that”, Elena said, handing me my drawing book. I tore out the page and handed it to her.

“For me?” she asks and I nod. Elena thanked me with a hug and returned to doing Layana’s hair.

“And I don’t only see the beauty in things. When I was little, I used to have these horrible nightmares. At first, I could tell my parents and my brother would stay with me, but after I shifted, the nightmares became more vivid. They felt… real. So real that I hurt my own brother” I said, guilt took over me and my wolf really quickly. Elena finished with Layana’s hair and they both looked at me as I stepped out of the closet.

“I can still see the guilt in your eyes, Aksana. What you did to your brother was an accident, and he knew this” Layana said, walking towards me.

“I felt guilty for hurting my brother and I apologized even until this day, even though he forgave me, but I hurt my brother… my family, so that’s why I still feel some guilt. One night, I believe I was eleven, I had a nightmare. I woke up screaming, but I wasn’t home… I woke up in the woods. I have no idea how I got there, but I went back home. I was still terrified of that nightmare, so I grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil and began drawing. Little by little I finished my drawing of my nightmare, then I would rip it up and throw it in the trash. It made me feel better knowing I threw out my nightmare”, I said. Layana guides me to the chair and Elena starts doing my hair.

“Did it help you? Drawing what you saw in dreams?” Elena asked.

“In a way, yes. I didn’t have to bother my parents or brother anymore, but my nightmares were becoming something of an every night occurrence. That was until dad found me sleepwalking in the woods while he was on patrol and I had to come clean. Mom could see the exhaustion in me, so she asked Lidia for help”, I said.

“Who is Lidia?” Layana asked.

“A friend of mom who’s a witch. She’s very nice, but the former or current Alphas of the Mountain Valley Pack are not fond of witches, so mom doesn’t mention her much. Anyway, Lidia gave mom some teas to give me at night. At first, I felt like they didn’t work since I kept having nightmares, but then slowly they started to go away”, I said.

“Do you still have nightmares?” Layana asked.

“We all do at some point” I said, not meeting their eyes, but I knew what she meant. A low growl came from behind me and I sighed.

“Yes, but not like before” I admitted truthfully.

“Have you found yourself sleepwalking again?” Elena asked.

“No. I’m fine Elena. If I feel anything off I promise to come to you”, I assured her.

“Good” Elena said. We continued to talk as she finished my hair, then Layana did my make up.

“Alright girls, have fun and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do” Elena said.

“Mom, there isn’t anything you wouldn’t do” Layana said before they both giggled, and I shook my head while smiling.